What About Love?
by Megan Faye
Summary: Sequel to 'A Time to Grow.' Booth and Brennan learn to live and raise children together.
1. Chapter 1

Title: What About Love

Author: Megan Faye

Rated: M

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones.

Please read A Time to Grow, or none of this will make ANY sense. Hell, it may not make any sense even if you have read A Time to Grow.

This is rated M for a reason. However, it is not just smut. There is a fair amount of smut, but there is this nifty little thing in here called a plot. It is nothing my mother will read...I hope. ANYWAY, there is a time and a place for no-plot smut. Those are great. This just isn't one of those. That being said, I hope ya like it.

* * *

It had only been half an hour since Parker had gone to sleep, but the throbbing in his leg made it impossible to actually sleep well. Something seemed off, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He rubbed at his knee, and remembered the dream. That was it, he'd had another vivid dream. He was beginning to hate those.

Parker blinked at the light from the hall, shaking the dream from his head. He dreamed of his dad coming home almost every time he slept. Nothing was out of place. Even the hall light was on as it normally was this time of day. If it was on, that means Brennan was up, either eating an early lunch, feeding Joseph, or reading. He groaned as he rolled out of bed. He didn't put the heat wrap on his knee and it hurt like hell.

"Mom," he called sitting back down. There were a few hushed words from the living room before his father poked his head in. Parker smiled, tearing up again. It hadn't been another wonderful dream; his dad was home, alive, and well. "Dad, could you get my pain medicine?" he asked.

"Pain killers?"

"Forgot the heat pad?" Brennan asked from behind Booth, Joseph in her arms. Parker nodded. "Can you get to the living room?" Parker shook his head. She's mentally kicked herself for not checking, since the air conditioner was on high that day. "I'm going to put Joe in his swing, and I'll come back to help."

"Come here, bub." Booth leaned down and lifted his son carefully. He grunted, as Parker had gotten much bigger in the last year, and he wasn't as strong as he had been once. "Couch?"

"Thanks, Dad." Brennan grabbed his pillow and popped up a foot rest on one end of the couch. She and Booth arranged him there, and Brennan gently touched his leg, just below his knee.

"It is pretty swollen. Where is it right now?"

"About a 7," he said.

"Okay. You need to eat with the new pain medicine. Chinese okay?"

"Beef and broccoli, steamed rice, and sweet and sour pork?" Parker asked. Brennan roughed his hair and nodded.

"I have to be back at the hospital by 8," Booth said. "I wasn't exactly released. My doctor gave me a pass, sort of. I wasn't really doing too well until last night. Something just...clicked, I guess, and I was able to finally speak." Brennan looked worried.

"Blood clots. Are you on any sort of blood thinner?"

"I have no idea what they have me on."

"Give me your doctor's name and hospital. I'll call in and see what you are on, why and how often. Booth, I swear if you missed an important drug, I'll-"

"Love me exactly how I am and glare at me until I take my medicine, like a good boy?" Brennan narrowed her eyes at him. "Did you keep any of my non-uniforms?"

"I have one of your shirts," Parker offered. "But we donated most of everything to Goodwill. Booth moaned and stared up.

"The belt buckle?"

"It wasn't something I thought was important to keep. I kept pictures, and your football that you and Parker played with. Was that wrong?" she asked, honestly worried that he'd be angry. Booth put his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "I am sorry," she offered.

"Its okay, Bones. You got me, and I can get more stuff." She nodded and allowed herself to soak in the comfort. "I'll call in dinner, while you get Joseph ready to go. We'll eat at the lab, with everyone, and you can bring me back to the hospital." Parker yawned and closed his eyes, letting the heat calm the pain away.

* * *

It took a little while to get Parker to wake up enough to walk to the car, leaning heavily on his dad, but they managed. Brennan made him a small roast beef sandwich so he could take his pain meds before they left. The swelling had gone down significantly, but he was still hurting with the heat on it. Brennan decided to call in for another appointment, as it wasn't getting better, and she didn't like the idea of a 12-year-old living on Vicodin.

Parker and Joseph slept in the car the whole way to the lab. Booth picked the sleeping baby up from the car seat and Parker leaned on him sleepily, but with a happy little smile that Brennan hadn't seen in a very long time. Booth hung back as his son and Brennan stepped up to the platform, leaving the bags of food on the floor , far away from the dead body.

"What do we have here?" Brennan asked. No one looked up when Brennan and Parker stepped up to the body.

"I dunno, Bones, but maybe we could do something about that smell!" Booth said, grinning. "Seriously, that is the worst one yet!" Angela screamed, and threw her arms around Booth and the baby. Cam stared in disbelief. Hodgins laughed. Sweets felt tears in his eyes, watching the scene unfold. Brennan and Parker were still pretending to study the body, passing grins and winks to each other. "Okay, Angela, don't squish the baby."

"We want the details, Booth," Hodgins said, shaking his hand. "It is really good to have you back."

Before anyone could say another word, Cam fainted.

* * *

"How's your head, Cam?" Angela asked as she passed the rice across the table on the deck above the lab.

"Embarrassed. My head is somewhat embarrassed."

"How are the two of you?" Sweets asked Booth and Brennan. They'd been nudging, passing grins, making eyes at, and leaning on each other most of the last two hours they'd been at the lab. Sweets had a big grin on his face.

"We are fantastic, Sweets. Pass the pork?" Sweets passed the container, trading for the chicken fried rice. "I can't wait to come back. What's the deal with the guy down there?"

"He was found in a basement after a fire in a house, still being built, behind a cinder block wall. Buried there during the construction, less than 2 weeks ago," Cam said, taking a bite of her lunch. "We're working on an ID, but we know he was still alive when the fire started."

"How was he still alive?" Parker asked. "Two weeks in a wall doesn't seem like something one could live through."

"There was olive-drab plastic melted to his hip."

"Canteen?" Both asked. "Army issues one that color. If he spread out how much he drank, and had anything to eat on him, he could live for at least a week. The basement was cool, he was well trained, I think its possible. And Parker, until you have hair under your arms-"

"I do, actually. And I've been in the lab quite a bit in the last year. A guy in a wall isn't the worst I've seen. The guy boiled in acid...that was...that was gross." He yawned again.

"Still not sleeping?" Cam asked.

"Its not as bad as it has been in the past. Just a rough not last night," Parker said, sipping his lemonade. "The new pain killers make me either sleep like the dead, or hyper. Its a shot in the dark which one will happen and when."

"When is your next surgery scheduled?"

"Two weeks from Friday, actually. They are removing the pins. It wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't growing so fast."

"How many surgeries have you had!" Booth asked.

"October was the break. It was messy, multiple fractures right below the knee cap, and there was one from knee to ankle. Right after my birthday, they found that the bones were fractured again, from playing Dance Dance Revolution at the arcade. I got the pins put in then, and after 2 months, the second set. Tomorrow is just to remove the pins. I should be able to heal in 6 or 8 weeks from there. No cast, just a brace this time." Parker looked relieved. "Next fall, I can play some sports again. Nothing contact, but I can swim and ride horses. It opens up a few teams."

"Man, no football, no soccer, no baseball," Booth said.

"I'm not all that interested in playing those any more. None of my friends play. The Neanderthals on the sports teams I used to play on are extremely condescending toward my new school and friends, while my new friends at school are accepting of change and different opinions. I choose not to associate with my old friends."

"English, buddy."

"Dad, they are bullies. They pantsed me when I told them about the lab." Booth felt his eye-brows raised.

"Who? I'll go have a man-to-man with their fathers, and that'll be the end of that," Booth grunted.

"Actually, I sat down with their fathers already, and I believe they had their hides tanned, whatever that means." Booth snorted a laugh.

"It means they were whipped. I don't condone it, but if my kid had yanked the pants off another kid, I'd have spanked him, too." Brennan's eyes bugged out.

"You are not striking either one of our children, Seeley Joseph Booth! If you even consider it an option, this relationship will not work, and you can take a cab back to the hospital." Her jaw was set, eyes narrowed. She was in "Mother Lion" mode as Angela had called it. Booth put his free hand up in a surrendering motion. Brennan took Joseph from him and moved toward her office.

"Bones, I'd never-" She whipped around to face him

"You just said-"

"I was wrong. I would never hurt Parker or Joseph. Parker has pushed every single one of my buttons and has never, ever been hit, spanked, or even yelled at. When he was 6, he kept running into the street, after I told him not to, and stared at me. Know what we did? We got in the car and went home. He was sent to his room, no TV, no games, no phone, no music, no books, and no toys the rest of the weekend. He was allowed out for bathroom, food, and to go home when Rebeca got there. My dad would have broken my arm if I had done that. I would never hurt my son. I'm not my dad." Brennan sighed and looked into Booth's eyes. He hadn't meant to worry her, and she knew what kind of dad he was. She let herself be hugged over the baby, who was starting to grump from being passed around, hugged over, and not just left to be comfortable for long.

"I'm going to feed him, and put him down in my office."

* * *

Booth slowly opened his eyes. He was back in the hospital, as he promised the doctor, but it was different. Brennan was asleep in the chair next to his bed, with a 6-week old baby in her arms, and Parker was on the little pull-out couch. He smiled to himself. He had a cute little family.

"Hey, Bones," he said. "Bones?"

"Parker, too early," she mumbled. Booth knew there was a story there.

"I'm not Parker, babe." Brennan opened her eyes and smiled sleepily at him. "You look beautiful."

"My hair is a mess, my clothes are not pressed, and I believe Joseph spit up on me."

"Still beautiful."

"Booth, we should talk."

"Okay. Let's talk."

"I am not letting you go. I'm not letting Parker or Joseph know a life without you again. So, either you move in, or risk us living in the hall outside of your apartment," she said, reasonably. "I'm in-love with you. I am aware that I never believed in such a thing until forced to face it, but I am, and I'm not letting you go without a fight like you have never seen."

"Bones," he said, taking her hand. "I'm not going anywhere. As soon as I am officially released, I'll follow you anywhere." Brennan put the sleeping baby down in his stroller and moved to Booth'd bed. She leaned in and kissed him. It was just as she'd imagined it would be.

"Hey, 12-year-old in the room," Parker said, still covered and back facing them.

"Cover your eyes, I'm kissing my favorite girl."

"Gross Dad."

Later that morning, after Jared was called, Brennan talked to Booth's doctors and understood what had happened to him, she decided that recovering another few nights in the hospital was a good idea, no matter how much Booth hated it. She showed him the x-rays, the pictures of what he looked like going into surgery when he was found. He shouldn't be alive, let alone arguing about being in a hospital. After three days of testing, retesting, looking, poking, prodding, and annoying Booth, they were ready to release him, with occupational and physical therapy in his near future.

Before he knew it, the day of Parker's knee surgery came. Booth did not handle his kid in the hospital very well. He paced for the hour and half, asking about the doctor's education, knowing full well that this hospital was the best in pediatrics. Brennan never did anything half way.

Everything went well for Parker, and he was able to start the first camp the following week. Since it was the first in a series of science camps through the school at the Jeffersonian, Max picked him up in the morning, to bring him to the school to check in. As soon as he was gone the first day, Brennan decided it was a good time to talk to Booth about what would happen to Parker, now that Booth was home, and living on her couch.

"Thanks, Bones," he said, grinning.

"We should talk."

"I know."

"Parker is your son," she said, softly. "And since you aren't deceased, the adoption can be contested, and it won't hold-"

"He's your son, too, Temperance." She looked up at him. "I'm not going to take him away from you. Rebeca is gone, and you stepped in, and gave him a family. He feels safe with you, and feels loved. What more could a guy want for his kid?" Brennan sniffled and looked into her mug. Joseph began to fuss from the mat on the floor where he'd been playing previously. Brennan knelt down next to the infant.

"Have you grown bored with flashing lights and random computer generated music, Joseph?" The baby looked at her and grinned. "Booth! Booth, he's smiling!"

"Oh, wow!" Booth got down on the floor next to Brennan and looked at the baby. "Hiya, Buddy! Is Mommy just so funny?" The baby smiled again and kicked. Booth laughed and tickled the baby's belly. He fussed again. "What's wrong?"

"Hungry. I'll be back in about 15 minutes." She picked the baby up and disappeared into the nursery. Booth finished his drink and rinsed the mug while he waited.

"How'd it happen, Bones?" he asked about 10 minutes or so later. "How'd he become a squint?"

"When I became his foster parent, I had him tested for school. I hadn't picked one particular school, yet. He tests at levels as high as I did, higher than half the lab. He's far more brilliant than his old school properly understood. The school that had the best programs for him was the one I chose. It would help him raise his math scores, and build onto the high science and reading. He's very advanced. The public schools he started in gave him a social foundation that most of the students missed out on. He's extremely popular on top of having incredible scores."

"You're telling me that Parker is a genius, and nobody noticed?"

"Well, you noticed. You frequently reminded me how smart he is. Now there is documented proof." Brennan unlatched the baby from her breast, covered and put the now sleeping 3-month-old in his crib, in his own room. As soon as she closed the door to the nursery and turned on the moniter, she turned to Booth. "I've been cleared medically to engage in sexual intercourse." Booth gagged. She always had a way of surprising him.

"You really know how to make a guy feel special."

"What I am saying," she said, straddling him where he sat on the couch, and surprising him again. "Is that I want you." Brennan leaned down and kissed him, as she'd only kissed him once before, many, many years earlier. She felt him harden against her as they kissed. He moaned into her lips. He played with the hem of her shirt, touching the soft skin. She rocked against him, eliciting a gasp from her own lips, and a grunt from his.

He pushed her back onto the couch and laid on top of her, pinning her as he kissed her neck. They were hurried and eager to please each other, pulling at clothing, and eventually, rolling onto the floor. He removed her pants and pushed inside of her. She gasped and lifted her hips to deepen his thrusts. They cried out as he slammed into her, pleading for more. He bit down on her shoulder, enough to mark, but not bruise, and she came hard, spasming around him, bringing him to his climax.

As the trembling subsided, Booth kissed her and removed himself. He carefully stood, and took her hand.

"Temperance," he said, leading her to her bedroom. "We've had sex. Now, I'm going to make love to you."


	2. Chapter 2

Title: What About Love

Author: Megan Faye

Rated: PG-13

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones

**NOTE: Did You know that Alaska Airloines has WiFi on their planes now? I'm posting this from some place over Washington/Oregon. :D**

* * *

When Booth opened his eyes, he expected to see Brennan next to him. They'd fallen asleep after their third round of love-making. However, what greeted him was empty arms. He frowned slightly and rolled onto his back. After a short debate, he got out of bed, pulled on the new sweat pants he'd gotten the day he left the hospital, and one of his new shirts.

"Temperance?" he called through the apartment. He found her at her computer, talking softly to Angela.

"I need to go," she said, when Booth caught her attention. "I'll be there in an hour, although maternity leave usually means that the new mother doesn't actually go to work." She closed the computer and gently placed herself in Booth's arms. Her hair was damp, and her clothes were not the pajamas she'd been wearing that morning. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah."

"You were out about 5 hours. Parker should be coming home soon." He nodded, still holding her. "I'm concerned about something."

"What?"

"There is a girl at Parker's school that he refers to as his girlfriend." Booth chuckled. "She's in his Latin class, but she's nothing like the rest of the girls in the school."

"How so?"

"Gabrielle's not a Squint. She is a Semi-Squint, like Parker. She is apparently quite intelligent, and does very well, but also plays on a girls' field hockey team in the summer, and regular hockey on a team with her brothers in the winter. The girl plays cello, loves Star Trek, and really likes Parker."

"Nice!"

"I would prefer he find someone who isn't perfect for him first. He's quite young to meet the girl he will probably marry one day." Booth shot back from her. "They are quite serious about each other. Gabrielle studies with him every day in the library, they attend all school dances and functions together, her older brother, Harrison, is Parker's best friend, and she is very funny. They laugh a lot. He's extremely respectful of her, her space, and she of him. He blushed when they held hands. It was very cute." Booth was turning white.

"My son has a serious girlfriend?"

"You're meeting her on Sunday at Hodgins' house." Brennan glanced at the clock. "15 minutes. Go shower; I have to get some work done at the lab tonight."

"Hang on, Bones. You can't just tell me that Parker has his first serious girlfriend, then tell me you're headed to work at 4:30 in the afternoon. Its...just wrong, Bones!"

"I don't see how. I informed you of a concern, and reminded you that we need to leave, and you are not dressed, nor are you ready. I think it was the correct thing to do, actually."

"I think I'll just stay here," Booth said, dropping onto the couch. "Parker...Parker has a girl friend."

"You're not staying here alone," she said. "You aren't ready to be left alone yet. You still have random memory lapses."

"One, I had one memory lapse. And I remembered how to turn the faucet on once you showed me." Brennan shook her head, jaw set. "Fine," Booth grunted, and stomped off to the shower, in a way that reminded her of Parker on his first day of science camp. She smiled and rolled her eyes lightly before opening the computer again. Angela's face was back on the screen.

"Smooth cover, sweetie. So how was he?"

"Angela!" Brennan yelped, grinning wildly.

"That good, huh?"

"Agent Booth is...extremely talented."

* * *

When Parker returned home that afternoon, just 18 short minutes later, he was not greeted with the normal 'How was your dad?' or 'What did you do at school/camp/Chase's?' He was greeted by his dad and adoptive mother yelling at each other, top of their lungs, over something as small as a juice cup left in a wrong spot, a phone left where it didn't belong, and a collision between the two. They were too busy screeching at one another, that they'd annoyed Joseph, who was now equally as upset, and neither one noticed. Parker sighed, dropped his bag into his room and hobbled into his brother's room, to comfort the baby.

"Hey, Joe-Joe. Come here," he said, lifting the baby. He carefully maneuvered himself with the heavy baby into the glider, and propped his leg up. The brace he wore was hot and itchy, but he knew it was necessary. "They missed each other, and they are just still mad about having to go through everything. Mom will be fine once she gets a new phone, and Dad will calm down soon. Don't worry; you have me to retain some sense of normal life." The yelling came to a halt, and the door to the nursery opened focefully.

"When did you get home! And what are you doing with him?" Booth snapped, taking Joseph out of Parker's arms. "You're not big enough to carry a little baby, Parker! You could have dropped him!"

"Stop yelling at him, Booth! He knows how to hold Joseph, and he came in half way through your pathetic excuse for why my brand new phone is now without warentee. Parker, would you like to go to the lab or stay here?" she asked, being as gently to the boy as she could, as she didn't want her frustration with Booth to be taken out on their children.

"Lab. Hodgins had something to show me when he was done with bugs and slime on the current case." She nodded, took Joseph from Booth, glared at him for a split second and turned to put the baby in his car seat. "What's going on with you two?"

"He's a slob."

"She's a neat-freak." Booth blinked a couple of times. "Why are you being a shrink? You're a kid-" Parker stood up, jaw set, and glared into his father's eyes.

"If you had paid any attention the last few weeks you've been here, you would see that I've grown up a lot this last year. I watched my mother and step father bleed to death, while I was stuck, and not able to help them. I was dumped into foster care because Jared was too drunk to take me, and no one could call Mom in Maluku. It was a day before Dr. Saroyan convinced a judge to let her take me. Then I was moved again to live with her, and she was no picnic for the first month! No meat, no church, no friends over, and sit in a lab all day until she could find out what a summer camp was and enroll me. You had a head wound. Big freakin' deal. I lost my entire family, and the only person who understood was driving me nuts!" Booth and Brennan clamped their mouths closed. "On top of all of it, I started a new school, find out I'm some sort of genius, lose all of my old friends, and she ruined Christmas, and you were gone!" Tears of rage and sadness flowed freely as Parker yelled at his dad.

"Buddy-"

"I sent you there, and you weren't going to come back! I took away my own dad, Joseph's dad, and Mom's best friend! Now you're back and you are yelling over a damn juice cup and cell phone?" Booth had never heard his son swear. "I'm not a little kid, Dad," he said calmly."I grew up." With that, Parker slipped his crutches under his arms and left the nursery. As he got to the door, he looked over his shoulder. "I think I'll skip the lab tonight." Booth stared at Brennan as she clicked the last buckle closed.

"He was in the car?"

"Yeah. His step-dad was completely decapitated, but Rebeca was awake, and died very slowly. He still wakes up, thinking he hears her screaming. He was trapped in the car for almost 3 hours. It has changed him, so much, Booth. He's closed himself off from nearly everyone. He's become me," she said, bitterly.

* * *

The lab was quiet when Brennan slipped into her office. She needed a break from Booth. Parker was home with him, and Joseph was happily knawing on the front of the carrier he was in, strapped to Momm'y's chest. He kicked his legs in protest as she sat at the computer to work.

"I fully plan on staying seated, Joseph. You'll adapt." She ended her statement with a kiss to the top of his head. He fussed and kicked until she gave in and stood up. "You're being plaved on one of your toy mats. I would like to type, Sweet heart." She unstrapped him and put him on the mat with toys arched over him. Joseph smiled at the giraffe and seemed content enough for Brennan's taste. She sat back at her desk to type, and was inturrupted by a knock on the glass door.

"Dr. Brennan," Sweets called into the office. "Parker said you and Booth had a fight."

"It wasn't over anything serious."

"That's when it is the most serious," Sweets said as he lifted Joseph up. "Hi, Joe! Oh, he's smiling!"

"He's a big guy," Brennan said, watching Sweets with her son. "Daisy is back."

"So is her boyfriend."

"Sorry to hear."

"Eh. She wasn't the one, I guess. She and I didn't have what you and Booth have."

"I don't knwo what he and I have."

"Care to elaborate?"

"I am not sure if I let him in because I love him, or if I simply pulled him too close to take the boys from me."

* * *

Thanks for reading chapter 2! I'm actually on a flight to Louisiana, as I'm updating this, so I won't have anything for the next few days to post. If I do, I think it will be short, as my brother is flying in from Idaho. Nice little family reunion.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: What About Love

Author: Megan Faye

Rated: PG-13

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones.

**Notes: I'm still visiting family in Lousiana, missing my husband. Last night I stayed up late, after my parents went to bed, and my brothers and sister went either home or to bed as well. I wasn't sick so far the last day and a half! I'm 12 weeks (finally) and the myth has proven to be true! 12 weeks and suddenly, I feel human again. :)**

* * *

Sweets had been waiting for the three weeks since Booth's return for one of them to break and call him in. They were bound to, and it would hard for them. The longer they took, the worse it would be.

For Brennan, it was extreme to extreme. Not only was Booth gone, they weren't certain if he was dead or alive, and the evidence pointed to dead. She had a routine with the kids, had developed a comfortable compromise with Parker on her life and his in one house-hold, and Joseph was not forgotten about in anything they did.

For Booth, he came home to a child who he'd hardly recognise, a partner who had changed so much by admitting love for the first time in her life, a new baby he'd not had a choice in the creation of, and his collection of things he'd gathered over his life, his memories, and keep-sakes were all donated; given away.

Parker was only now starting to really act like himself again. He'd recently started watching football again, and Star Trek was taking a back seat to being in the park with friends. He was opting to not go to the lab more than he used to.

"Dr. Brennan, you are happy he's back," Sweets said, watching her pace her office.

"I'm very happy. He's alive, and he's here. I love him."

"I don't for a moment doubt that. What I do doubt is that you let him into your heart to keep the boys. You let him in because you wanted him there. Now you are scared, and finding a way to push him away before he can leave again."

"That is completely ridiculous."

"Can you honestly tell me that you aren't in-love with him?"

"No. I can't tell you that."

"Can you honestly tell me that you want him in your life, for the rest of your life." Brennan glared at him. "You were abandoned. Your dad and brother took off again 16 years later. Then they went to prison. Following that Angela and Hodgins paired off, Zach betrayed you, Booth forced you to confront your feelings; and don't tell me he didn't. My office had a perfect veiw of him kissing you and you running away. Then he left. You are scared."

"I fear nothing-"

"You fear nothing physical. You're strong, self-aware, carry a big gun, and could probably throw me. You fear the emotional pain of loss," he said softly. "Of being left behind."

"Booth wouldn't leave me. He has two children, and both are legally mine-"

"Think about that. You said, not ten minutes ago, that you pulled him too close, so he wouldn't leave and take the boys. Now you defend that he wouldn't leave you because of the boys. You are hiding behind the kids, and using them to justify your feelings for Agent Booth." She stopped, dropped onto the couch and rubbed her forehead.

"Ok," she said. "I can agree that what you've said is plausible. How should I proceed? If we are going to raise two children together, I want the four of us to be happy. I want the boys to feel secure, Booth to feel satisfied that we're in a productive and loving relationship, and I want to feel secure that I will have a family when I return from work every night."

"I would recommend that you proceed slowly, with caution, but not so much that you stop all together. You should try talking to him, express to him, in a way he will understand that you love him, you aren't stopping the relationship, but you are taking things slowly, so that you get it right, so to speak. Not just for the children involved, but for the two of you, as well. You need time to adjust to the new set of boundaries, or lack-there-of, and the new relationship. You've been partners for a very long time, but this isn't a case to solve. Logic and reasoning alone will not make this work. Instinct, trust, compromise, and even standing your ground on a few important issues will help make this work."

"I believe I am in uncharted territory."

* * *

Parker stared at the ceiling of his room. It had become a past time when Brennan was working in the living room on the computer, and he couldn't sleep. Booth was watching soccer on TV, and not even cheering at goals. It worried Parker, but he was too tired and too sore to find out why. He glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight. Brennan was in the lab, and Joseph was with her.

At five minutes after midnight, there was a slight knock on Parker's door.

"I'm awake," he said, switching on the 'space lights.' Recently, he and Chase had built a few star ship models, and rigged them to fly across his ceiling.

"Hey, that's cool," Booth said, watching the ships fly.

"Dad," Parker said, looking over as his dad sat on the bed. "You love her."

"Very much."

"Good," Parker said, looking back up. "She's scared, I think. Her parents just left her. She's always scared that I'm going to leave, too."

"It really hurt her when Max took off."

"I ran away at Christmas." Booth frowned. "She ruined it. She didn't want to open any gifts, and didn't eat much of dinner. When I gave her the Christmas gift I'd gotten her, she locked herself in her room and cried." Booth nodded. Brennan told him about that. "When she picked me up, she said that when I wanted to go to church, all I had to do was ask Jared, and when I wanted meat, she'd make it for me. All I had to do was ask, and not run away. Then she grounded me. No Star Trek for a month. I missed a marathon, and a convention."

"She's pretty good at finding solutions to problems. Sorry about the convention."

"We went to the next one after my time was up. It was bigger, and in Las Vegas. They opened a new Star Trek experience, and had all the actors that are still alive there for a ribbon cutting. It was much, much cooler event. She even likes Star Trek now." Booth laughed softly. "Dad, you won't go back, will you?"

"Never. The Army broke their word to me. I wasn't supposed to be where I was, and I was not supposed to be in combat. It isn't what we agreed to, and because of it, I was almost killed, and you thought that I was." Parker scoffed. "It was less than a week when they called me into combat. Next thing I know, I'm in a hospital, horrible headache, and all I can say is your name." He ran his fingers over the long, angry scars on the back of his head. At least they were covered by hair. "Parker, what me and Bones did, in the field, it wasn't anything like the lab work you see."

"I know, you caught the people who killed the people in the lab."

"Well, there's a lot more to it. We were in situations that could have gotten us killed, Son. I've saved her life, more times than I can count, and she's saved mine, just as many times. In the begining, when we were still get used to having partners, I almost lost her. If we had been 3 seconds later than we were, she'd be gone." Parker swallowed hard, and felt fear rising up. "I'm telling you this for a reason, not to scare you."

"I assumed."

"You like the lab. You're just as smart as she is, and just as strong as I am. Any job you want can be yours. So if you want that lab, 10 years down the road, you should know what it takes to really be there. Clark Edison, Daisy, Fisher; they won't make it because they can't handle the harsh side of the lab. I couldn't take them into the field the way I take Bones there. I could possibly take Wendall, but he's mainly a squint from a tough neighborhood."

"He's tough. Tougher than you credit him with. As are Daisy and Fisher."

"Parker, do you want to be a Squint? If that's where your heart is, I'll be just as proud as if you played quarterback in the NFL." Parker thought about it.

"I'd like to be a bug and slime guy, like Hodgins. Only without the conspiracy theories, and scruffy hair." Booth laughed and rested an arm across Parker's shoulder. "If you guys get married, what's my last name going to be? Brennan or Booth?"

"We're way ahead of ourselves here, Parker."

"If you're alive, is she still my mom, or am I automatically a Booth again?"

"I don't know about your last name, but Bones is your mom now. She adopted you. She loves you. She's always here for you. Temperance is never going to leave you. Okay?" Parker nodded and snuggled into his father's side, like he had when he was very young. "Get some rest, buddy. I'm going to go to bed soon, too."

* * *

Brennan slipped out of the nursery silently. Joseph had been awake the last 5 hours, and only grumpy for the car ride home. A clean diaper, a nice long feed, and his mother singing softly to him was all he needed to fall into a deep sleep.

"Hey," Booth said from the couch. She smiled and tip-toed over.

"Can we talk about earlier?"

"Yeah. Sorry about your phone."

"Angela came in and was able to pull video and pictures from it, to move to the computer. I can replace the phone. The pictures being gone is what truly upset me." Booth looked up at her guiltily, in the same manner as Parker when he spilled on the couch. It was the same look he used to give her when he said too much to Sweets before shipping out. The look that she couldn't stay angry at if she tried.

"Can I see them?"

"Tomorrow; they're on the computer in the lab." Booth nudged her to turn, and he rubbed her shoulders. She moaned softly, closed her eyes and let her head fall back. He gently brushed her hair from her neck, and let his fingertips run over her bare skin.

"You are very tense, Temperance."

"Sweets stopped by my office and we talked."

"Now I'm tense. What psycho-babble did he spew forth?"

"He suggested we take things slowly. Not just for me, but for us, both of us, and for the boys. We owe it to ourselves to take it slow, honor each other, and do this right. He said, many times in the last year, that you are my greatest love. Earlier he suggested that I was attempting to push you away before you had the chance to leave, and hurt me," she whispered. Strong arms wrapped around her from behind.

"My instinct is to settle into a life with you, to give ourselves, and our children the normal life we've both wanted as children ourselves. I would never hurt you, and you would never hurt me. Taking things too slow could hurt them more, by letting them think we don't love each other. I will take this as slowly as you need to, but not because Sweets said to. Only if you think it is for the best." Brennan turned in his arms, and pinned him to the couch.

"I've made a decision, and that is to open my heart and allow myself to love you, whatever that means. I think we should continue this in our bedroom." Booth leaned up and kissed her, grinding into her. She whimpered with pleasure. Brennen climbed off of him and padded into her bedroom, Booth not too far behind.

Booth kissed her, gently. It was passion-filled, searing, but at the same time, not rough. He tangled fingers into her hair and she tilted her head up. He fidgeted with the buttons of her blouse while she removed her belt and slacks. Soon, she stood before him, in a plain black bra and panties set. It wasn't the normal lace that she wore, but because of the nursing baby, it would be a while before sexy underwear was back in the picture. He unhooked her bra and pushed her toward the bed as she tugged at his boxers, freeing him. Her panties joined the pile of clothes just before he scooted her back onto the bed.

"You are incredible," he whispered in her ear as he slid into her. She arched to meet him. "Temperance," he moaned. She was hot and wet around him. It felt like her body had been made for him, and his for her. She was unable to speak as he picked up speed. He was dizzy with pleasure, and the little noises coming from her lips made the experience that much better. Earlier that day, they'd rushed; they were in a hurry to feed a hunger, even after they'd gone into the bedroom. Now, he took his time, finding what she liked and what she didn't.

"Booth!" she gasped, pulling him back as deep as she could.

"Was that good?" he asked, pulling back and thrusting into her hard. She nodded, pulling him back again. He teased her for a moment before going in hard again. As she got closer to her climax, he felt his building quickly. "I love you," he moaned as she cried out softly tightening around him, and spasming hard. He followed her directly, eliciting a second orgams from her.

He rested on the bed, and pulled her to his chest. Booth let his fingers run over her back gently as he kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, too, Seeley," she murmured, and closed her eyes.

* * *

Brennan opened her eyes to a knock on the bedroom door several hours later. Joseph hadn't woken up yet, which was good, but it was still very early.

"Parker?"

"Can I com in?" he asked.

"NO!" Booth gasped. "I mean, dammit."

"I'll be out in 10 minutes," Brennan said, blushing.

"Hey Dad?" Parker called into the room.

"What?"

"I have two things to say. One: GROSS!" Brennan laughed. "And two: Its about damn time!"

* * *

**Heh, even the kid knows they're supposed to be together.**


	4. Chapter 4

Title: What About Love

Author: Megan Faye

Rated: M

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones.

NOTE: I'm going to explain something. I am against disposable diapers. I'm 12 weeks pregnant, owned a daycare, been a nanny, and, well, I have worked with children for the last 8 years, professionally. In my mind, Baby Joseph is in either FuzziBunz or bumGenius diapers, with the fleece and cotton FuzziBunz wipes. This is not too important to know, but it is mentioned in the chapter that diapers need to be washed. I can direct anyone here to the website where I researched bumGenius before I bought locally. I've used them for over a year in daycare. I recommend them. HIGHLY recommend them.

Note 2: I'm posting from 32,000 feet! Hi down there!

* * *

Parker was dressed and ready to go to his summer camp when his dad dashed into Joseph's room, and then back across the hall with the baby, a fresh diaper, a fleece wipe, and the spray bottle. Joseph was fussing. Parker had learned to recognise this as his hungry and very wet fuss. Brennan had, at most, 3 minutes to correct this situation before serious screaming occurred.

"Dad," he called as soon as his brother was with Brennan.

"How do I work this?" he said, holding up the two parts of a clean diaper. Parker took it from him, and showed him how to put the liner in before handing it back. "Thanks." He stepped back into the master bedroom. As soon as he stepped back out he headed to the kitchen.

"I need a ride to camp today. Max had to be there an hour early since there's a trip today, and you start occupational therapy. Do you think there'll be enough time?"

"I think so," Booth said. "Parker, are you okay with me and Bones being together?"

"Honestly?"

"Honestly."

"It _is _kind of strange. I mean, you guys are happy together, and Joseph and I are happy with you both, and I like that everyone is happy..."

"But...?"

"But its weird. I'm not used to you kissing anyone, or sharing a room with anyone. I don't know if its that or if it is that I'm still trying to get used to living with you full time, and with Temperance. I never belonged to a nuclear family. It was you and Mom, switching off, fighting over me, not wanting to see each other, and then Mr. Fantastic either tried way too hard to get me to like him, or ignored me completely." Booth nodded. He had come to realise that by disliking Parker's step-dad, he'd given Parker permission to like or dislike the man as he felt. Sweets had helped him come to this conclusion.

"You are happy with both of us?"

"Totally! I mean, when you aren't fighting, I mean really fighting, you two tease each other, argue a little, flirt, and pick on each other, but you always love aand respect each other. You and Temperance never feel bad about each other. I like that. I love coming home to you two arguing over the point of some movie that she didn't want to watch. I like seeing her with Joseph. I love seeing you with him, because you were like that with me when I was little."

"You are my pal," Booth said, roughing his son's hair. "You aren't jealous that I give the baby so much attention?"

"No; he's a baby. I'm 12. I don't need to be fed or changed. Every concept I have now came from the bond I had as a baby. I can't be jealous that Joseph is getting that same bond."

"I hope he has a better one, since there are two full-time parents, and a full-time brother on hand. There's so much I missed with you, and I can't ever make up for it. I don't want to miss that with Joseph. I'm here for you, as much as I can be, Park-man." Booth hugged his son.

"Dad, I don't mean to kill the moment, but I have camp in an hour, and you have therapy in less than two hours. You should consider pants as an essential part of wardrobe." Booth nodded and headed back into the room to dress.

* * *

Parker was at camp, Booth would be in occupational therapy for the next few hours being evaluated, and Joseph accepted a bottle, and would be with Angela and Hodgins for the day. Brennan had time to relax. It was rare. Parker helped out a lot with folding diapers and wipes, but there was always more laundry to wash. Booth loaded the dish washer and cleaned the kitchen every day, but there always seemed to be one more dish. She cleaned and swept the whole apartment several times a week, and had a cleaning lady three days a week, but there always seemed to be something sticky on the floor.

Today however, she wasn't going to worry about it. The team had solved a case without her, and were taking the rest of the week off, and she would as well.

As she curled up on the couch with a book she'd been looking forward to reading, an idea for her next novel popped into her head, as well as a thought on the three pending cases her lab had, an idea for next month's summer camps for Parker, Booth's therapy, thanking Sweets for advice she'd chosen not to follow, and that calling her brother over for dinner in the next week would be nice. She shook her head, and tried to focus on her book.

After reading the first three lines four times, and still not actually taking in the information, she rolled her eyes, closed the book, and opened her lap top, and began typing out the idea for her book.

Three lines into the short summery, Brennan closed the computer in favor of a cup of coffee. However, she was side-tracked by Booth's socks on the floor next to the couch, and decided to start a load of laundry. On her way to the bedroom to gather their clothes, she saw her coffee cup from earlier that morning on the small table in the hall. She tossed the socks into the bedroom, picked up the coffee to go start a load of dishes.

On her way toward the kitchen, she saw Parker's bed unmade, and TV left on. She set the coffee cup down on his desk, and sat on the bed to look for the controller. She leaned over looking for the controller, dig through the pillows and decided it would be okay to just rest a moment there.

And she fell asleep there.

For 6 straight hours.

* * *

"Bren?" Angela called into the apartment. Brennan was supposed to pick Booth, Parker and Joseph up by 3:00. Now at 4:45, Angela worried. She picked up Booth from his Occupational therapy appointemnt, then Parker from the school.

"Hey, Bones?" Booth called. He looked into the master bedroom, then into the nursery. Parker nudged his dad, and pointed to his own room. Booth peeked in and grinned. He snuck in, covered her with Parker's comforter and left the room. "She's asleep."

"Let's leave her a note and go get dinner," Parker suggested. Booth shook his head.

"Angela, I can take the baby. We're good. Thanks for the ride." Angela grinned and handed him the car seat.

"I want 6 just like these two."

"Me, too," Booth said as Parker knocked a glass onto the floor, shattering it.

"Sorry," he said, getting a broom. The door to Parker's room opened, and Brennan was there, half asleep with a bat. "Hi, Mom."

"Parker? How'd you guys-what time is it?"

"Almost 5." Brennan lowered the bat and blinked twice.

"I'm going back to bed."

* * *

"Hey, everyone. Pipe down," Hodgins said, tapping the crystal of his glass. The Sunday night tradition had continued with Booth's return, just over 3 weeks earlier. "I have news." The table went silent. "Angela and I are goin g back to France in about a month. We need a break from bugs, slime, skulls and bodies. We really need to get away from death for a good long while."

"When will you be back?" Brennan asked, feeling the fear and dread take hold. She held it in, and didn't allow it to show, but it was there.

"We're not sure, but we'll be back, Sweetie. Its just getting to me, is all. Years of giving people faces because someone took that dignity away from them...it is just too much. And then, everything with Booth...I am an artist. This isn't who I want to be, Bren." Brennan nodded. "I love working with you, and I know what I do is so good. I just need a break from it."

"I do, as well," Brennan said softly. "We all do. Its been a really long and difficult year, and I think I'm ready to stop."

"Bones," Booth whispered. "Bones, we gotta go back to work. Two kids, both might want to go to college some day. And if you put Joe in the same school as Parker, work is essential."

"Four books, two movie deals, and a television series. The next book is planned out, and my publisher said something along the lines of 8 figure advance once I have a first draft. The boys can go to any school they want. They both have enough in an account that's been set up for each of them. Don't worry about school. I've got that covered. We could have seven more children before we'd have to worry about finances." Booth furrowed his brow.

"I like working. Its what we do, Bones. Our job isn't about money, Temperance! We give people faces, we put the murderers in prison. We solve crimes, and give families something that resembles closure. Everyone helped with Cleo Eller. Everyone. Angela gave her a face, Zach and Hodgins discovered cause of death. You shot the man covering up the murder. We work together. We lost Zach, and now those two? You want to quit now, too? Fine. You can, but don't expect me to." Booth stood up and stormed from the room. Brennan took a sip of her water, waited another 10 seconds where the table was completely silent before she calmly stood up and followed Booth.

She found him on the back veranda overlooking a basketball court.

"It doesn't have to change, Seeley. Just because you and I wouldn't work together, it doesn't mean we'll lose what we have."

"Yeah," he said. "It will. I need to do this. I need to be FBI. You need to explain bodies, forensics, and all that science-squinty stuff."

"Why?"

"When we go back to work, you depend on me, as much as I depend on you," he said. "Right now, I depend on you, and you don't need me. You did just fine without me." Brennan pushed herself into his arms.

"You don't actually believe that nonsense, do you?" Booth shrugged. "I may have done fine without you, but I missed you. There were times when Parker needed his father, and when I needed someone to lean on. There were nights where I was up all night with Parker, then all day in the lab, and then all night with Parker again. There were times when I just wanted you to come into my office at the lab, inturrupt Cam, haul me out of the lab to look at a body, and instead, its just a coffee break." Booth chuckled to himself and just allowed himself to hold her close.

"She ever catch on?"

"Oh, the very first time."

"Figures."

"Zach was starting to get jealous." Booth pulled back and looked at her curiously. "He and I were engaging in a similar relationship as you had with Cam for almost a year. The day after Cam officially hired him, he came back to my place for coffee, and we-"

"Whoa whoa whoa. Don't need the details." She sighed and tucked herself back into his arms.

"I don't like the idea of being in the lab with a whole new team. Zach's gone. Angela and Hodgins will be gone for an undetermined length of time. You may not even be cleared for field work for quite some time."

"Hey, now that I got glasses, I can actually read. I should be cleared quickly." He blushed. During his evaluation, they had assumed he couldn't read, but in reality, he needed glasses. The next day, he had his new glasses, was properly teased by the Squints, and was able to read. Booth was not thrilled with the idea, but would wear the damn things if it meant being cleared for duty again. Also, if he wore them, Parker didn't fight wearing his nearly as much. Brennan grinned as he put them on.

"I like them. You look more like a Squint." Booth frowned and removed them. "No, come on! You look sexy."

"You think I'm sexy?"

"In glasses."

"How about in those blue boxers with the little green frogs on them?" Brennan swatted his arm playfully before kissing him. "I love you, Temperance."

"I love you, too."

"And I want to keep working. Hodgins and Angela will be back. Zack came forth with what really happened and only has a 10 month sentence. Cam promised him a job at the lab if she could justify it. In a year, your whole world will be back to normal."

"Normal is relative."

"Normal to us."

"Normal to us now, or normal to us 4 years ago?" Booth reached down and pinched her butt, eliciting a squeal from his girlfriend.

"Both. Come on, you know we work well together."

"And play well even better."

"Exactly."

"If in one year, we've not found a good balance between work, home, two kids, and us as a couple, we're quitting the job. It would be the least important part of that equation."

"One year."

* * *

**Note: I'm back on the plane to Seattle from Louisiana. I'm at a window seat, nauseated, and I have to pee. This is going to be a long, long flight.**


End file.
